Describe something you did in your study/work that has made you feel confident: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • When and where it happened
  • What you did
  • Why it made you feel confident
  • And explain how you felt about it

Band 6-7

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I gained a lot of confidence in my studies when I started practicing a lot of questions before the exams and taking in various approaches to each question. It was important as prior to this I was unable to score good marks in the exams due to lack of understanding. But ever since applying this approach I have been able to confidently write good answers on the sheet. This happened back in 2014 when I was studying for my exam and I started to focus on the patterns. This is so difficult man. So difficult.

Follow up questions


What specific strategies did you use to practice questions effectively?
I focused on breaking down questions into smaller parts, identifying key concepts, and practicing similar questions repeatedly. I also sought feedback from teachers and peers to understand my mistakes better.

How did your confidence change your approach to studying?
With increased confidence, I became more proactive in my studies. I started participating in group discussions and asking questions in class, which further solidified my understanding and helped me engage with the material more deeply.

What advice would you give to someone struggling with confidence in their studies?
I would advise them to start small by setting achievable goals and gradually increasing their study challenges. Practicing regularly and seeking help when needed can also build confidence over time. Remember, persistence is key!

Band 6-7

00:00

/

00:00

Last week on Wednesday, it happened to be a hectic day. I was in rounds in my ward. While going through one of the patient's file, I found out that one of the reports was seemingly abnormal and nobody was giving attention to it last night. But I happened to check it and went to the patient and asked him how he's feeling. Afterwards, he said he's doing well but he has not passed out since this past Tuesday. I announced the assisting nurse to check the diaper. The diaper is all filled with lots of blood and the patient is unaware of it. I called the consultant and told him about the situation and following his orders. We sent a few more blood tests and they turned out to be positive for lack of facelift in his bladder which is causing blood oozing from one of the folds. After that, we happened to give some injections to control the bleed and resulted in a few pins of blood. Everybody appreciated me for the attention to the detail I happened to give and I felt confident about my skills at work. It really helped me believe in my own concerns and do my job.

Follow up questions


How do you think your actions impacted the patient's outcome?
My actions directly contributed to identifying a critical issue that could have worsened the patient's condition. By catching the abnormal report and addressing it promptly, we were able to provide timely treatment, which likely saved the patient from serious complications.

What skills do you think are essential for someone in your field?
Attention to detail, critical thinking, and effective communication are essential skills. Being able to notice subtle changes in a patient's condition and communicating effectively with the healthcare team can significantly impact patient care and outcomes.

How do you handle stressful situations at work?
I try to stay calm and focused. I prioritize tasks and rely on my training and experience to guide me. Taking a moment to assess the situation and communicate clearly with my team helps me manage stress and make informed decisions.

Band 6-7

00:00

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00:00

In my teens, when I was studying 10th grade, I was lagging at my studies. I had no concentration and I got my scores low. It made me more frustrated and I've never been so depressed before. I was thinking a lot of time. But someday I've gone through YouTube for lot of motivation videos. At that point I got to know two specific mantras which helped me in this world to be leading a successful life. The one is smart work and the another one is time management. Smart work helped me to be more concentrated either in my work or study. I do smart tasking whenever I feel multiple work. And also when I have lot of work, I schedule my things. I learn this through experience and failure. Smart work led me to accomplish work faster and it made my work done easier and effortlessly. In time management, I used to plan my work at the previous night. I do always have a pen and a paper to make a checklist of what to be done next. Sometimes I also heard about things in the books and podcasts. Usually people have rush at the time of end. They don't even know what is going to be happened at the end period. So making at least a few things noted could help us to do a lot of things. Accomplishing things would make you more succeeded.

Follow up questions


How did you discover the motivational videos on YouTube?
I stumbled upon the motivational videos while searching for study tips. I was feeling lost and needed guidance. The videos resonated with me and provided practical advice that I could apply to my studies.

Can you share an example of a smart tasking technique you use?
One technique I use is breaking down larger tasks into smaller, manageable parts. For instance, if I have a project, I divide it into research, writing, and editing phases, which makes it less overwhelming and helps me stay focused.

What impact has time management had on your academic performance?
Time management has significantly improved my grades. By planning my tasks the night before, I feel more organized and less stressed. This approach allows me to allocate time effectively, ensuring I cover all subjects and complete assignments on time.

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Band 6-7

00:00

/

00:00

I am quite unaware of this topic, but I will give it my best spot and share my perspective on it. I created one mathematical pattern which is very different from others to calculating a 3 or 4 digit multiplication, which is very interesting and very easy to understand. Most of my friends like that technique and we all are practicing whenever the math exam occurred and very helpful for me as well as my friend also. First time I created this technique when I was in 10th standard. I am preparing for my board exam. I was preparing for my board exam. I started to get in trouble.

Follow up questions


What inspired you to create a new mathematical pattern?
I was inspired by the challenges I faced while studying for my board exams. I wanted to find a simpler way to tackle complex multiplication problems, which led me to develop this unique technique.

How did your friends react to your mathematical technique?
My friends were really enthusiastic about the technique. They found it easy to understand and helpful for their studies. We often practice it together, and it has become a fun way to prepare for our math exams.

Do you think this experience has influenced your confidence in other subjects?
Absolutely! Creating this technique not only boosted my confidence in math but also encouraged me to approach other subjects with a more creative mindset. I now feel more capable of tackling difficult topics in different areas of study.

Band 5-6

00:00

/

00:00

hello good morning by the way I am preparing for my master's degree and pursuing it and last time I did different I need to defense my thesis and it's hard for me because I'm working while studying but through the help of my teacher she guided me especially in doing the defense on what to do and what are the preparation that we need to take especially there are three panelists who will ask a question regarding of it and thank you so much because at first thank you so much because they give me the chance to explain my report or my thesis and I'm so happy because they approve it and what but before that I just

Follow up questions


What strategies did you use to manage your time between work and studying?
I created a strict schedule that allocated specific hours for studying and working. I prioritized my tasks and made sure to set aside time for breaks to avoid burnout. This helped me stay organized and focused on both my job and my thesis.

How did your teacher's guidance impact your confidence during the thesis defense?
My teacher's guidance was invaluable. She provided me with insights on how to present my work effectively and anticipate questions from the panelists. Her support made me feel more prepared and confident, knowing I had a solid understanding of my thesis.

What was the most challenging part of preparing for your thesis defense?
The most challenging part was managing my anxiety about being questioned by the panelists. I practiced my presentation multiple times and sought feedback from peers, which helped me feel more confident in my ability to answer their questions.
Show all 8 answers

Cue 1:When and where it happened

  • Begin by mentioning the specific time and place where this experience took place.
  • Provide context about your study or work environment to set the scene.

Example

This experience happened last year during my final semester at university. I was in the college auditorium, where we had organized a seminar for our project presentations.


Cue 2:What you did

  • Describe the task or activity you undertook that contributed to your confidence.
  • Mention any preparation or effort you put into this task.

Example

I was responsible for presenting our group project on renewable energy solutions. I spent weeks preparing for this presentation, practicing my speech, and creating engaging visuals to support my points.


Cue 3:Why it made you feel confident

  • Explain the factors that contributed to your confidence during this experience.
  • Discuss any positive feedback or reactions you received from others.

Example

When I started presenting, I noticed that the audience was engaged and interested. After my presentation, several professors complimented my delivery and the clarity of my ideas, which boosted my confidence significantly.


Cue 4:And explain how you felt about it

  • Share your emotions before, during, and after the experience.
  • Reflect on how this experience impacted your self-esteem and future endeavors.

Example

Before the presentation, I felt nervous, but as I spoke, I became more comfortable and excited. Afterward, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride in my work, which encouraged me to take on more challenges in the future.


Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, this experience not only enhanced my confidence but also taught me the importance of preparation and believing in myself. It was a pivotal moment in my academic journey that I will always cherish.


    Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.


    Tips to answer this Cue Card

    1: Lack of Specific Details

    Avoid vague answers that do not provide specific details about the event. This can make your response sound unconvincing and less engaging.

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    Tip

    Include specific details such as the location, date, and exact actions you took to make your story more vivid and relatable.


    2: Ignoring Emotional Impact

    Failing to explain how the experience made you feel can weaken your response. Emotions help to connect with the listener and make your story memorable.

    bulb icon

    Tip

    Clearly express your feelings during and after the experience, using descriptive language to convey your emotions effectively.


    Overly Complex Language

    Using complicated vocabulary or sentence structures can confuse the listener. It's important to communicate clearly and understandably.

    bulb icon

    Tip

    Stick to simple and clear language. Focus on conveying your ideas effectively rather than trying to impress with difficult words.


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    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 6-7

    I am quite unaware of this topic, but I will give it my best spot and share my perspective on it. I created one mathematical pattern which is very different from others to calculating a 3 or 4 digit multiplication, which is very interesting and very easy to understand. Most of my friends like that technique and we all are practicing whenever the math exam occurred and very helpful for me as well as my friend also. First time I created this technique when I was in 10th standard. I am preparing for my board exam. I was preparing for my board exam. I started to get in trouble.

    Band 6-7

    Last week on Wednesday, it happened to be a hectic day. I was in rounds in my ward. While going through one of the patient's file, I found out that one of the reports was seemingly abnormal and nobody was giving attention to it last night. But I happened to check it and went to the patient and asked him how he's feeling. Afterwards, he said he's doing well but he has not passed out since this past Tuesday. I announced the assisting nurse to check the diaper. The diaper is all filled with lots of blood and the patient is unaware of it. I called the consultant and told him about the situation and following his orders. We sent a few more blood tests and they turned out to be positive for lack of facelift in his bladder which is causing blood oozing from one of the folds. After that, we happened to give some injections to control the bleed and resulted in a few pins of blood. Everybody appreciated me for the attention to the detail I happened to give and I felt confident about my skills at work. It really helped me believe in my own concerns and do my job.

    Band 6-7

    I gained a lot of confidence in my studies when I started practicing a lot of questions before the exams and taking in various approaches to each question. It was important as prior to this I was unable to score good marks in the exams due to lack of understanding. But ever since applying this approach I have been able to confidently write good answers on the sheet. This happened back in 2014 when I was studying for my exam and I started to focus on the patterns. This is so difficult man. So difficult.

    Band 6-7

    In my teens, when I was studying 10th grade, I was lagging at my studies. I had no concentration and I got my scores low. It made me more frustrated and I've never been so depressed before. I was thinking a lot of time. But someday I've gone through YouTube for lot of motivation videos. At that point I got to know two specific mantras which helped me in this world to be leading a successful life. The one is smart work and the another one is time management. Smart work helped me to be more concentrated either in my work or study. I do smart tasking whenever I feel multiple work. And also when I have lot of work, I schedule my things. I learn this through experience and failure. Smart work led me to accomplish work faster and it made my work done easier and effortlessly. In time management, I used to plan my work at the previous night. I do always have a pen and a paper to make a checklist of what to be done next. Sometimes I also heard about things in the books and podcasts. Usually people have rush at the time of end. They don't even know what is going to be happened at the end period. So making at least a few things noted could help us to do a lot of things. Accomplishing things would make you more succeeded.

    Band 6

    I would like to talk about an incident that happened at my workplace when I was very new for this project. I was having a very basic knowledge with a tool that introduced to us. I was on a training period and we received a high priority incident from the user mentioning that he is unable to access application in PowerApps. Though we do not support that application and client was unavailable at that time. So I tried to work on that. I gone through a lot of articles and few websites in Google. Then I connected with user and I understood what the issue exactly he was facing. Then I took one or two hours then I solved it. So every day we have a meeting with the client where we update our status. So in that meeting the client appreciated my efforts. Though I am very new to this tool and we don't support that application still I worked on that part. So there I felt really good and it made me feel more confident that I can work on more issues further in future.

    Band 5-6

    hello good morning by the way I am preparing for my master's degree and pursuing it and last time I did different I need to defense my thesis and it's hard for me because I'm working while studying but through the help of my teacher she guided me especially in doing the defense on what to do and what are the preparation that we need to take especially there are three panelists who will ask a question regarding of it and thank you so much because at first thank you so much because they give me the chance to explain my report or my thesis and I'm so happy because they approve it and what but before that I just

    Band 5-6

    Okay, what I did, something which made me feel confident and confident is that when I was studying, I learned a language Kannada, a new language, it was a new language for me because I studied in Bangalore, so I was not familiar with the language. So when I came into the treatment, but that is for meeting people, meeting patients, when the hospital said it was very struggle for me to understand their language and I was very less, I was, I didn't have much confidence that time, so I learned Kannada within a month or two months and then I started learning, so that made me confident and I started speaking to patients in Kannada, so I was able to understand more about what they are speaking, I understood their language, I understood their problems in detail, so I can convey solutions for them in the same language, so that what made them also to understand what I am speaking to them. This both increase my confidence and make me happy, I feel so proud and happy for this.

    Band <5

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